


Backslide

by linearhappiness



Series: The Great Sealand Takeover Spin-offs [3]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Fake AH Crew, Hurt/Comfort, Relationship(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2015-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-15 15:51:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,832
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4612506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/linearhappiness/pseuds/linearhappiness
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The high didn't last long.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Backslide

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Great Sealand Takeover](https://archiveofourown.org/works/2136012) by [whalehuntingboyfriends](https://archiveofourown.org/users/whalehuntingboyfriends/pseuds/whalehuntingboyfriends). 



Michael and Ryan were jogging through an oak alley near the East gate. Tree shadows striped the dirt road. It was a nice morning.

 _Two years ago, if someone said I’d live in a place like this, I would’ve told them to get the fuck out._ Michael grinned at the thought.

After an argument, Geoff agreed to withhold part of their payments as rent. It was a lot more than what Michael was used to, to put it mildly. And yet, with the way things were going, he was quickly getting rich.

They finished the last lap with a sprint to the garage. Michael hunched over and put hands on his knees, sucking air. “Almost had you there this time.”

“Almost”, Ryan pointed out.

They walked to the house.

“Shower?”

Ryan smiled at Michael. “I need to talk to Geoff. I’ll join you later.”

***

Geoff was making breakfast. Gavin was hovering and eating ingredients. When Ryan came into the kitchen, Gavin gave him a quick kiss. “You’re sweaty.”

“I am.” Ryan poured himself a glass of water. “Geoff. There’s a hit I’m interested in. Still no big plans for the week?”

Geoff turned to Ryan. “Still no big plans for the week”, he repeated slowly.

“You are taking other jobs?” Gavin asked.

“You are my priority. But yes.” Ryan downed the water. “I’m leaving tonight. I’ll be back in 5 to 7 days.” He rinsed off the glass, put it back in the cupboard and walked out.

Gavin and Geoff exchanged glances.

***

Geoff interrupted the meeting and asked everyone to leave as soon as he got the news. He called Gavin.

“Hi!”

“I need you to find Ryan.”

“Umm, done? He’s home.”

“He’s okay?”

“Yeah?”

Geoff hung up. A minute later, the phone beeped.

**Ryan: Back at the house.**

Geoff grabbed the car keys. He was getting angry.

***

Ryan sat on the couch in the living room, reading.

“It was you, wasn’t it?” Geoff was standing in the doorway.

Ryan took off the glasses and turned to him. “Be more specific.”

“The McPoyles?”

“Then yes.”

“You said it was a hit. You didn’t say you’d burn an entire family alive.”

“They had it coming. And it wasn’t an _entire_ family.”

“Right, where’s his head? And where’s the uncle?”

“They are together. Someone should be imprisoned for this, don’t you think?”

Geoff walked to the couch, sank to his knees and dropped his head onto Ryan’s lap. “I thought shit went wrong… It looked like shit went wrong… I thought you might be gone.”

“I’m struggling not to take this as an insult.”

Geoff looked up. He stared at Ryan’s nonchalant face for a moment and then punched him.

Ryan’s fist clenched.

“You get to know where we are. You get to know if we’re safe. But we don’t. How do think that feels?”

Ryan relaxed his hand. “Geoff… Next time, if the job’s unusual, I’ll tell you beforehand.”

***

Jack joined Ryan in the car.

“Hi!” Ryan smiled. “I thought Kdin was my driver.”

Jack drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. “He was pretty adamant about not staying alone with you. They all were.”

“I see.”

“They were just getting friendly, Ry. Now, with your latest jobs, we’re right back where we started.”

“They shouldn’t be friendly. Dan can be. The rest should keep their distance.”

“There’s a difference between keeping distance and being scared shitless of you.”

“I have a reputation to maintain, Jack. For all our sakes.”

Jack started the engine.

***

The lads were in the master bedroom. They were supposed to be sleeping. Phones beeped.

**Ryan: Running late.**

“All right, that’s it!” Gavin got up.

“Gav”, Ray started.

“What? He’s never late! He’s early, if anything!”

Michael dialed Ryan’s number. “It’s back off.”

“Gavin, don’t spy on Ryan.” Ray said.

“What if he’s injured? What if he needs help?”

“If he really needs help, he’ll ask for it.”

“U-huh”, Michael scoffed. “The help-welcoming, plans-sharing, never reckless good old Ryan.”

“I’m no stranger to sarcasm, sir.” Ray responded. “He changed.”

“And then he changed again!”

“Gavin’s right.” Michael got out of the bed. “I’m surprised Geoff hasn’t called yet.”

“He’s probably having the same conversation with Jack.” Ray sighed and threw the blanket off.

***

“The message was sent from this area.” Gavin brought the map to the screen.

“What’s there?” Michael turned to the monitor.

“Our old flat.”

“Are you still renting it?”

“I’m not. But I’m almost certain now that Ryan is.”

Michael put a hand on Gavin’s shoulder.

“Anyway, no access to cameras right by. I searched through the footage from all the possible entry points on the roads and got bugger all for it. Then I figured there’s a bus depot right there.” Gavin played a video. “That’s from three hours ago.”

Michael gave Gavin an unamused look. “Would’ve been real funny. Not in the mood, though.”

“That’s Ryan!”

“That’s some drunk asshole in a cowboy hat stumbling out of the bus.”

“A hat and a scarf! He’s covering his face! I’m telling you, this is our asshole!”

Michael looked closer. “Holy shit.”

***

Ryan sat across from his tied-up unconscious target. The tools were laid out on the table to his left. He stood up and slapped the target across the face. Then grabbed the man’s jaw and jolted his head up. His eyes flickered open and widened in terror.

“Always nice to be recognized. Hello, Ronald.” Ryan tightened his grip.

“No”, the man whimpered.

“So, who killed her?”

Ronald’s lips twitched.

“Who killed her?” Ryan put his foot on the man’s crotch and pressed.

“Ch…Charlie! Charlie!”

Ryan let go and turned to the table. He shoved a metallic dental retractor in Ronald’s mouth. Then he took the pliers. “I know what the good answers are.” Ryan held the man’s head in place with his left hand and started pulling out one of the central incisors. “Otherwise the information would be unreliable.” Ryan ripped the tooth out, opened the man’s front shirt pocket and unclamped the pliers, letting the tooth fall there. “Consider your next answer.” He pulled the other incisor out and put it in Ronald’s pocket, too. Then removed the retractor.

Ronald was panting and drooling bloody saliva on his shirt. “I can… I can give you money. Halw a miwion. I have halw a miwion.”

Ryan set back in his chair.

“I can make more. I can make more… Seven wiwty…”

“If you want a deal, I’ll give you one.” Ryan grabbed a six-shooter from the table, opened the cylinder, put his finger on it, holding in one of the bullets, and let the rest of them fall on the floor. He put the gun on Ronald’s lap. “Answer my first question and you can shoot at me once.”

“What?”

Ryan just waited.

“Your mask… it’s buwetproow.”

Ryan took his mask and his jacket off.

Ronald stared at Ryan’s face. “Why would you do wis?”

“Maybe I’m tired of torturing. Maybe I want to see if I’ll die. In any case, this is you only chance of survival.”

Ronald paused. Then nodded.

“Answer me and I’ll cut your left hand loose.”

“Dennis.”

Ryan stood up. He taped Ronald’s elbow to the chair. Then pulled out a knife and cut the man’s wrist free.

Ronald started pulling the trigger frantically as soon as Ryan turned. Ryan kicked the gun out of the man’s hand. The bullet fired on the third try and went into a wall.

“I said once.” Ryan took a surgical saw and sank it in Ronald’s shoulder.

“Stop! Please, stop! Frank paid him! Frank!”

Ryan took another gun and shot the man in the head. He sat back at his chair. Bent down to search through the pockets of his jacket. Pulled a pack of cigarettes and lit one.

***

“There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to see him right now. I you’re going, I guess I can stay.”

“Okay, Gav.”

***

Michael parked in front of the building. He called the apartment on the videophone. Someone let him in eventually. Sensor-activated lights turned on and off as Michael walked up the stairs to the third floor.

He knocked on the door and Ryan opened it.

Last time Michael was there, they had a lovely evening. Gavin and Ryan had already started packing, so the place was littered with boxes. Now it was dark and empty. Ryan turned his back on Michael and went to sit on the sofa.

There was a pile of discarded clothes on the floor. Michael poked the cowboy hat with his foot. “That was an interesting look on you. Where did you get it?”

“Borrowed from a new friend.”

Michael switched on a lamp. He saw Ryan’s blackening eye and bruised neck in the dim light. Michael sat next to him. The man’s hair was damp, he just showered. “What happened?”

Ryan took a swig from a whiskey bottle on the coffee table.

Michael touched Ryan’s face gently and turned the man’s head towards himself. “You look like you took a beating. The job went wrong?”

“That was… after.”

“After. What do you do after, Ryan?”

Ryan grabbed Michael’s hand and pulled it away from his face.

Michael let out a long breath. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Ryan ignored him.

“How am I the bad guy here?? I’m trying to deal with you even though you just messed everything up! You and your fucking secret jobs… Why are you still taking them, anyway? How much money do you need? Are you telling yourself you don’t set everyone on edge every time you drive off?” Michael stood up and kicked the sofa. “And this is just some new level of shit! I don’t believe you couldn’t fucking inform us that you’ve decided to hang at some dive bar with the country dudes! While each one of us takes his personal journey to the worried about Ryan town! Fuck you! Take your fucking head out of your fucking ass!” Michael finally looked at Ryan and saw his dangerous stare. “What?? Are you threatening me now??”

“Michael. You should go.”

Michael closed his eyes tight and waited for red spots to appear.

They generally got along great, but the few arguments he and Ryan had were so destructive that Michael found himself learning to calm down and take a step back. He tried to level his breathing.

Michael opened his eyes and saw Ryan holding his head in hands. Michael felt a pang in his chest and took a U-turn.

“Ry, I love you. If you don’t want to explain, fuck it. Fuck everything. If you want to get drunk again, I’ll join. Just let me stay.”

Michael dropped on the sofa. Then he felt Ryan kissing him. He kissed back desperately. At some point he pulled away, still holding the man close. He grabbed his phone to send a message to Gavin. **Ryan’s** … It seemed ridiculous to write fine or ok.

**Michael: Ryan’s with me.**


End file.
